Ruth Bauer

Artist Works

Artist Bio

Ruth Bauer

Fantasmas Antiguos: Paintings From Mexico

Setember 3 - 30, 2008

Ruth Bauer captures the mystique and richness of Mexico in compelling vistas painted in oil on canvas. The imagery and lush landscapes featured in her new body of work were inspired by the artist’s travels to Mexico last summer. Bauer began to paint only upon returning to her North Shore studio. Although she had not recorded her impressions in a sketchbook, this passage of time imbued the forthcoming paintings wi
th a sense of reverence and enchantment. Indeed, the gardens surrounding Frida Kahlo’s studio, interior courtyards of the monastery in Santo Domingo, and landscapes on the outskirts of Mexico City pull the viewer into quiet contemplation, where one senses that at any moment, this stolen moment of magic will be interrupted. As with Bauer’s past work, light and geometry play an invaluable role in the Fantasmas Aniguos series. Soft shadows interplay with direct, bright light, highlighting the angles and alcoves of Mexico’s architecture. Through her use of light and composition, Bauer directs the viewer’s attention to moments suspended in time and history.

Ruth Bauer received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions at the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, St. Anselm College, Hokin Kaufman Gallery, and at Clark Gallery since 1984. Bauer’s trip to Mexico was made possible, in part, by a travel grant from The Shore Country Day School in Beverly, MA, where she directs the art program.